Agristructures and Superstructures are divisions of The Steel Building Company (TSBC). They have 40 years of experience in design, fabrication and installation of a variety of steel framed structures including warehouses and factories, shopping malls and residential projects. They have completed numerous projects across Zimbabwe as well as in Mozambique, Zambia and the DRC. As the name implies Agristructures tends to focus more on agricultural projects like storage sheds for farm equipment, workshops and poultry sheds, whereas Superstructures focuses more on commercial, industrial and mining projects. Recently TSBC has diversified into steel framed residential projects like the house featured in S&D issue 61.
In issue 62 we featured the new Driptech branch in Belgravia for which TSBC provided the steel skeleton as well as the roof and wall cladding. They have recently completed projects for prominent hardware outlets, food processing companies, shopping malls, a motor service and parts centre, as well as a grade-A tobacco warehouse. Current ongoing projects include a new 15 000sqm tobacco warehouse along Simon Mazorodze, a mixed property Masvingo Development and an upcoming retail centre in Borrowdale. Their work in conjunction with design and construction companies across the region has enabled them to gain valuable experience and keep abreast of current global building trends. TSBC has a very optimistic outlook for future developments in Zimbabwe and the region.
Their newly completed project for Driptech in Belgravia includes retail outlets and storage space for Driptech and their sister companies, One Stop Solar and TyreZim all conveniently incorporated into a single steel frame structure. The building has a Chromadek bull nosed roof and Chromadek wall cladding attached to the steel frame. TSBC also installed a mezzanine floor around three sides of the interior space – mostly for storage of the client’s extensive stock.
For the Belgravia project TSBC worked closely with the client’s architect and the civils contractor. The architects provided conceptual architectural drawings which TSBC then processed using their Tekla BIM (Building Information Modelling) programme. The programme helps provide construction detailing and quality control as well as providing 3D models for clients to look at before manufacturing commences. The programme divides the structure into convenient sections which, together with the architect, can be rationalised to suit and if needed adapt the concept. TSBC is flexible and adaptable to work with different section layouts, particularly when designing and building residential projects.
The Belgravia project is 36m long by 40m wide and 5.5m high at the lowest eaves. The mezzanine floor extends around three sides of the internal space like a gallery with open space in the centre. It was designed and erected in different load bearing capacities – heavy duty for storing tyres for TyreZim, medium duty for storing solar panels for One Stop Solar and light duty for lightweight, bulky goods. The mezzanine is a steel skeleton with steel decking panels fixed on top and finished with 19mm shutter ply board.
They co-ordinated closely with the building contractor to specify where the concrete bases should be positioned to support the steel columns – both around the perimeter and internally, so that the prefabricated sections could be properly and easily installed. They worked c with the civil contractor so that as each individual Chromadek roof section was completed, the work on the floor progressed accordingly in a systematic and synchronised manner in a waterproof and sheltered environment.
As usual, much of the framework for Belgravia was pre-manufactured at their workshop in Willowvale. TSBC has a 6,600sqm factory serviced by overhead cranes, forklifts and with a substantial backup generator for ZESA power cuts. The workshop can produce around 400 tonnes of structural steel and roofing, each month to meet project demands. They have the cutting, rolling, welding and jig equipment to manufacture fabricated I-beams, castellated beams, heavy rolled plate structural tubes, conventional angle iron lattice trusses and portal I-Beam structures.
TSBC has an impressive fleet of crane trucks and site equipment to transport and install fabricated steel components and roofing. Materials were transported to the Belgravia site in one of their 30 tonne tri-axle flatbed crane trucks. Site equipment included one of their three telehandlers with a 4.5 tonne capacity, 17m reach. Steel components delivered to site are handled with care, offloaded, and safely and neatly stacked onto dunnage in designated zones. Wherever possible, the steel work for each structural area of the building is to be stored in one location and is laid out for ease of erection.
TSBC rolls their own roof sheets at their factory into IBR profile, wide-span profile, or Seamlok 745 concealed fix roofing system.
The sheeting for Driptech Aberdeen was processed at their factory using 0.58 mm Dark Dolphin Chromadek. The coil was purchased by TSBC in 4/5 tonne rolls and processed into an IBR profile. The bull nosed profile on the roof (manufactured at their workshop) meant there was no requirement for rain water gutters – another time and cost saving design feature. TSBC installed Alububble insulation below the roof for thermal insulation to keep the place cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
Since most of the framework was pre-fabricated only a small crew was needed to complete the construction on site for such a large project. Excluding site supervisors and related engineering experts there were six members of the steel installation team and 10 members of the roofing and cladding team.
TSBC is passionate about creating well engineered and durable structures to support the economy and the lifestyle of people in Zimbabwe and across the region.
Text by Michael Nott
From: S&D ISSUE 63
